The Godparent Trap
by LadyGadfly
Summary: Aurora sets out on a mission to get her Godmother and Diaval together, with the help of Prince Philip. What could POSSIBLY go wrong? (Hint: Everything.) Written for Maleval Week Day 3: Aurora the Matchmaker (& Laughter).


It starts when the little beastie calls Diaval her husband.

Maleficent squawks – _actually squawks_ – and sits there on the riverbank with her mouth hanging open. Diaval's pale skin has flushed red.

"Wh-what did I say?" Aurora smiles nervously.

"Beastie. What...what makes you think Diaval and I are..." Maleficent can barely bring herself to finish the question. "What makes you think we're married?"

"You're not?!" Aurora squeaks, horror and embarrassment colouring her face.

"Of _course_ not." Maleficent calls on every shred of poise she has to keep her voice cold and even.

"I just thought...I assumed...I mean, you didn't correct me when I started calling him godfather." This is true. Aurora has been referring to them both as her godparents for some time now. It had only seemed right. Diaval had, after all, had as much of a hand in raising Aurora as Maleficent had. Arguably more since he was the one that actually fed and played with her when the pixies forgot, and Maleficent watched from a safe distance.

"Yes but that doesn't mean we're together. Godparents don't have to be married." Maleficent feels her face warming at the very thought. Diaval shifts uncomfortably beside her and she desperately tried to stop her mind from wandering down that path.

"You two seem so comfortable though. With each other."

Maleficent turns to Diaval to find him gazing back at her. She swallows hard and quickly looks away again. She can hide her true feelings from anyone. She can even fool her little beastie if she tries hard.

But those black eyes have always been able to look straight into her soul.

"Diaval was my servant for many years. He has been very loyal and I won't deny I have a certain...fondness for him. But that is all. We are not and will not ever be involved."

"Yes. She's right. It'll never happen." Diaval finally speaks up with a grin that doesn't reach his eyes. Maleficent and Diaval are very determinedly not looking at each other.

_'Oh no.'_ Aurora thinks. _'This will never do.'_

* * *

Philip needs a little convincing before he'll help Aurora in her plan.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Philip asks for the dozenth time. Aurora sighs in exasperation. She is incredibly fond of Philip, thinks she may even be starting to fall in love with him, but he really can be obstinate at times.

"Yes! I've told you they are just perfect for each other. They've been together for years. They bicker like an old married couple. They look after each other. They...they just make sense!" Aurora flaps her hands in irritation. He's still not convinced.

"So they're close."

"Yes."

"Like really close friends."

"Well, yes but-"

"So what is it that makes you think they should be together? Maybe they're happy being just friends. Just because they're close doesn't mean they're meant to be."

"They raised me together."

"As mistress and servant, not equals."

"She saved him!"

"Because she needed a servant."

"He saved her!"

"He's a very loyal servant."

"They've stayed together even though he's been released from her service!"

"So they're used to each other. It doesn't mean that they want to be together. Are you sure you don't just want them to be together because it'll make your family more official?"

"Our family is official." Aurora replies, tears welling in her eyes.

"Oh. Oh no. Aurora please, I didn't...I really didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that honestly." Philip sighs, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I just don't want you to upset yourself trying to force something between them that isn't there-"

"You know my father cut her wings off when she was sleeping?" Aurora cuts him off. Her voice is thick with tears but she holds her head upright, defiantly looking Philip in the eye." She only rarely lets me touch them. Diaval helps her preen. All the time. She nearly falls asleep when he does. She gave him free reign over his transformations since he was set free and you know what? She hasn't forced a change on him since then. Not once. And he trusts her not to do it. He really truly trusts her. Not because they've been together a long time or because he's got no choice to do so. Because they have a bond." Aurora is aware that she is ranting, a few tears starting to escape her eyes, but she doesn't slow up. "They know instinctively when the other is hurting, and it pains them too. They talk without words. Maleficent looked wretched last mating season when all those female ravens were swarming Diaval, and every time my godmother laughs Diaval looks like he's watching the sun rise." Philip has gone very still. "Philip, please. If you care for me at all you'll just have to trust me on this. I understand you don't want to interfere, but I've seen how they look at one another when they think no-one's looking."

"And how do they look at each other?" His voice is quiet.

It takes Aurora a moment to find the words. "Like they're home."

Philip drops his hands from her shoulders, a slow smile coming over his face.

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?"

Aurora gapes. "You're helping me? Just like that?"

"You made a very convincing case." He shrugs.

"Oh yes? And what exactly was it that convinced you?" Aurora tries her best haughty Queen voice (also known as the Maleficent Impersonation).

"The parts that sounded familiar." Philip ducks his head shyly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Aurora's face flushes scarlet, a giggle bubbling up her throat.

"Well." Philip clears his throat and offers his arm. "Shall we walk whilst we discuss this plan of yours?"

Aurora collects herself and takes the proffered arm. "We shall."

* * *

The plan in simple enough. Put Maleficent and Diaval into situations where they will be encouraged to admit their feelings. Since those feelings are already there in abundance all it should take is a little encouragement to bring them to the surface.

In theory.

The first attempt comes a week after Aurora's discussion with Philip. They both agree that the palace gardens are wonderful this time of year. The honeysuckle is fragrant, the roses are in full bloom and there are butterflies flitting about the flower beds.

Aurora leads them to the gardens herself, insisting that this visit they simply must go for a walk together. As agreed, within minutes Philip appears.

"Your Grace. There is urgent business you must attend to."

"Oh no! I am so sorry, I must leave you for just a moment. I hope you do not mind?"

Maleficent raises one flawless eyebrow. Her little beastie is not the best liar ever. Diaval is also looking unconvinced but acquiesces anyway.

"Of course, hatchling. I shall accompany your godmother-"

"Wonderful be back shortly bye!" Aurora practically skips away.

Diaval and Maleficent give each other a look.

"That boy is making her daft." Diaval finally mutters, shaking his head.

"Agreed."

They walk on in silence for a while.

It's a pleasant enough place to walk, although Maleficent prefers the wild, untamed beauty of the moors. Diaval, for his part, keeps on asking which plants the humans eat and eyeing the bird nets over some of the plants dubiously.

"They don't eat them, Diaval. The kitchen gardens are along that way, I believe." She gestures with her staff, kept now out of preference rather than necessity. "These plants are just for show."

"Then why grow them?" He frowns.

"Because they look nice."

"If you say so Mis-Maleficent." He doesn't miss the tiny smile that graces her face at the use of her given name. He's still grateful that she didn't tell him to leave after he was released from her service. It's nice, what they have now. They're friends, he thinks. He looks on as Maleficent holds out a finger for a blue butterfly to land on.

There are times he can see just the slightest hints of something else there as well. When Maleficent wraps her wings around him and Aurora. When he catches her looking at him and gives him a raw, fleeting smile before looking away. When she wakes from a nightmare calling for him.

But whenever he tries getting closer to her she backs off, skittish and fearful.

"So where are the kitchen gardens again?" He asks.

"Along this way." Maleficent gestures and they start walking down the path. "Are you hungry Diaval? You know you should be careful you don't get caught in one of these nets. I may not feel like saving you this time." Maleficent smiles wickedly.

"Never fear mistress. They can't catch me now that my beautiful self is in my beautiful man form."

"That depends entirely on the size of the net." Maleficent replies dryly, eliciting a laugh from the raven.

They round a corner into the kitchen gardens. Rows upon rows of vegetable beds are filled with squash, lettuce, cabbages, carrots, tomatoes and a wide array of herbs. Diaval deftly snags a handful of blackberries from a bush they pass and hands some to Maleficent.

"Why do humans seem to think those even work?" He gestures to a scarecrow in the pumpkin patch.

"They scare away pests. Make them think there's a human there."

"_Pests_?" He looks disgusted. "I _beg_ your pardon? And what makes you think birds are even fooled by that? I wasn't fooled by that. You remember the first time we met? There was a scarecrow in that field and I wasn't stupid enough to think it was a real person." He puffs up in indignation.

"No, you were just stupid enough to get snagged in a farmer's net and nearly beaten to death." Maleficent snipes back.

Diaval looks mortified, shifts into a raven and flies off, cawing angrily.

Maleficent almost feels bad, until he catches the mouldy straw hat from the scarecrow and comes back around, dropping it on her head.

The staff avoid the gardens for a good long while after that.

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Aurora's nose wrinkles in doubt.

"Of course. My father said he did this when he was courting my mother."

"Yes, and I'm sure it worked out splendidly, but I don't think either of them are really...um...boat people."

There's a decently sized boat pond within the palace grounds. A pond currently occupied by a small row boat holding one doubtful-looking raven man and a decidedly hacked-off fae.

The oars are being pulled by magic after Diaval's disastrous splashy attempt to pull them himself. He had asked why Maleficent couldn't just pull them herself using her hands, to be met with a look that could have withered an entire forest.

"Remind me why we're doing this?" Maleficent bites out testily.

"Aurora insisted. For...some reason I can't remember."

"She gave you the look didn't she?"Maleficent rolls her eyes. Diaval gives a grunt of assent.

"You seem uneasy." The fae does indeed look more tightly-wound than usual.

"I don't like boats."

"Oh?"

"I'm not an especially strong swimmer. My wings weigh me down if they get wet."

"Ah." Diaval's lips twitch and he can't quite hold back a snicker.

"Something funny, Diaval?"

"Just imagining you sopping wet. Rather a funny mental image." He can picture her now, sodden wings all bedraggled, her hair hanging over her face. Dress clinging to her...

Diaval looks down into the cool green waters. It's awfully warm. Maybe a quick dip wouldn't be such a terrible idea.

Maleficent, irritated though she is, is not so worried as she could have been. Diaval is with her. It's difficult for her to be uneasy about anything when he's around. She's more at ease around him than she's ever been around anyone, and although he teases and bickers with her she truly knows Diaval hasn't got a malicious bone in his body. He's kind and loyal. She trusts him implicitly.

Diaval looks up from the water and gives her a warm smile. Butterflies spring to life in her stomach.

And that, she thinks, is exactly the problem. She doesn't have a good track record when it comes to trusting men.

Spreading her wings, Maleficent launches herself into the air without warning. The boat rocks wildly, pitching a stunned Diaval over the side.

Maleficent dives as soon as Diaval goes under, panic written on her face.

Thankfully the pond is shallow enough for Diaval to put his feet on the ground, and he comes up spluttering with clumps of pondweed in each hand. One of which presently smacks into his former mistresses face.

In the shadows of their hiding place, Aurora buries her face in her hands.

"I don't think it's working." Philip shakes his head.

Aurora mutters something about "stubborn idiots" and grabs at her hair in frustration. Then she stills. Diaval has clambered onto dry land and is currently cursing out her godmother in what she can only assume is the raven fashion (what the heck is a gollyfluff?) whilst struggling to remove his dripping shirt. Finally wrestling the offending garment from his torso, he begins wringing the water from it. Maleficent stills above him, eyes going wide. She lands a little ways behind him, wings fluttering slightly as her eyes travel down his lean back. She bites her lip.

Diaval turns, still cursing, and stops abruptly. There is a long moment of silence as the two gaze at each other. Then the spell is broken and they both look away as though nothing happened.

Aurora and Philip exchange a look.

"We've got to keep trying."

* * *

The dinner for two was their best idea yet.

It had, of course, originally been intended to be a dinner for four but Philip and Aurora had made their excuses. Not terribly good ones, it had to be said.

Still, what mattered was that the dinner appeared to be a great success so far. Peering through a ventilation grate at one end of the room Philip and Aurora both agree that it's going well. Musicians playing in the background, candles lighting the room. Diaval and Maleficent are laughing and chatting easily, their heads close together. They had elected to sit next to each other rather than at opposite ends of the long dining table, an action that had led to Aurora squeaking in delight and gripping Philip's arm painfully.

The starters have been eaten and they're exchanging spirited banter and lingering looks. Aurora is beside herself, bouncing up and down on her toes, hands clamped over her mouth to stop her delighted giggles from being heard.

And then the main course arrives.

The chef had come in with a covered silver serving tray, removing the cover with a flourish to reveal a perfectly roasted duck.

Diaval goes pale and bolted from the table.

"Oh nooooo!" Aurora groans. "I _told_ them. I told them _no meat whatsoever_!" She slides down the wall in anguish.

"Oh wow. And a bird to boot. That is...really unfortunate." Philip glances through the grate to see Maleficent's hands light with magic. "I'll just go stop your godmother from roasting the chef like the duck, shall I?" Philip runs off, leaving Aurora hitting her head off the wall repeatedly.

* * *

After the disastrous dinner it was agreed that maybe they should ask for help from the moor folk.

Unfortunately the moor folk's idea of help seemed to be reserved to throwing flowers over the couple at every available opportunity.

It was quite sweet at first. The sight of her godparents gazing upwards at the flower pixies and then at each other as petals fell around them was really a very lovely sight. Diaval was even bold enough to catch a blossom and tuck it behind her godmother's ear, making the fae clearly blush.

The problem was that the moor folk didn't seem to understand the idea of moderation. They kept on showering her godparents with blossoms, petals and flower wreaths all hours of the day and night. One of the tree warriors even dumped an armful of prickly gorse flowers on them.

The next time Aurora and Philip came to visit the moors they were greeted by a very irate looking fae and raven. They both look exhausted and Maleficent has a few wilted flower crowns tangled in her horns. Just as Aurora opens her mouth to ask how they are, a group of sylphs fly overhead, dropping blossoms in their wake. Maleficent's eye twitches.

"All right! That's it!" She launches herself into the sky, swinging her staff viciously as she does so. The sylphs dissipate with shrieks of alarm, Maleficent chasing after them yelling obscenities.

"Still don't really see the point of flowers if you can't eat them." Diaval mutters, watching Maleficent do some impressive mid-air acrobatics to punt a sylph into another sylph. Aurora groans and buries her head in Philip's chest.

* * *

"Aurora I really have to protest at this one. This is a _BAD IDEA_." Philip is running alongside her, looking back in worry.

"Too late now!" Aurora takes his hand and runs faster. "Desperate times call for desperate measures!"

Maleficent and Diaval look at one another in the gloom of the supply closet they have been locked in.

"Well this is just insulting." Maleficent mutters and tries to reach around Diaval to the doorknob, trying to ignore the fact that they are pressed against each other. It's locked, of course. Gold light coils around Maleficent's fingers, a wisp of it travelling to the lock. Nothing.

"The lock must be made of iron." Maleficent is having a bit of a hard time keeping her voice steady. Her chest is pressed right up against Diaval's and she can feel his quickened heart against her own.

"Looks like we're stuck here for a while?" Diaval smiles broadly, hoping he sounded steadier than he felt.

Gazing in to Diaval's eyes Maleficent brings one hand up to his face, lightly tracing the shifter's mark by his eye. Slowly her hand moves to grasp the back of his head, bringing him closer to her. Diaval's eyes drift shut.

Then there is a rush of air and splintering wood is flying around them. Flinching, Diaval looks behind him to see Maleficent's other hand is held before her to where the door had been. She sweeps past him without looking.

"Or not." He mutters.

* * *

"Beastie! We want a word with you! RIGHT NOW!"

"Hatchling I agree with your godmother we need to talk."

They're in the palace courtyard by the stables. Aurora slinks towards them as Prince Philip tries to hide behind a bale of hay.

"Oh no your highness. I think we need to have a word with you too." Philip cringes and shuffles forwards.

"What exactly have you two been up to? You've been acting completely mad." Maleficent's arms are crossed and her eyes flash with anger.

"Well, aahhhh..." Philip rubs the back of his neck.

"The thing is..." Aurora scuffs her toe against the ground.

"Have you two been trying, perhaps, to make something happen? Between us?" Diaval is a lot calmer than her godmother and it is him that Aurora turns to.

"We just thought...you two seem like...like you'd be happy. Together."

"We are happy together." Maleficent snaps.

"No. _Together_." Philip shuffles behind Aurora. He knows Maleficent won't hurt her god-daughter. Him, he's not so sure of.

"Oh for goodness sake!" Maleficent throws her hands up and Philip ducks for cover. "Is that really it? You want us to be a couple?"

"Hatchling, I appreciate that you want us to be happy but you can't force someone to feel something they don't feel."

"But you _do_ you...you...idiots!" Aurora cries. "Can't you two see you're perfect for each other! Every one can see it! You love each other!"

"Aurora..."

"Be that as it may, beastie, it still can't happen."

"Yes, hatchling it can't – wait what?"

"What?" Aurora's eyes went wide.

"What?" Philip looks up, hay in his hair.

"What?" Maleficent looks at them. "What did I say?"

"You said 'be that as it may'." Diaval gazes at her. "Aurora said we were in love and you agreed with her."

Maleficent stands silent for a few moments. Then her wings snap open and she launches herself into the sky.

"Stay here. I'll go after her." Diaval shifts into a raven and flies after her.

* * *

She's not difficult to find. Maleficent always goes to the same spot to think. She's perched on a cliff overlooking the moors when Diaval lands next to her. She doesn't move.

"Maleficent I-"

"Please don't." There's along pause but Diaval is not one to be put off that easily.

"You said can't."

"What?" She turns to him.

"You said it _can't_ happen. Not _won't_."

"Yes." She looks down at her hands. "Even if we...did have feelings for each other. It can't happen."

"And why not?" Now he's got an implicit confession out of her he's not going to let it go easily, she can tell. She has to dissuade him.

"I'm cruel. I can't love anyone."

"No you're not. The little one is proof of that if you didn't love her you couldn't have woken her."

"I'm broken." She looks up and past him, her eyes shining. Diaval wishes he could go back in time and peck out Stefan's eyes.

"You're not broken. You're damaged maybe but that doesn't mean you don't deserve to be happy."

"I can't trust."

"Give me a chance." Diaval walks forward and gently places his hands on her arms. "I swear if you don't want this I'll never ask you again. I'll only ever be your friend. Only give me a chance, please. I lo-"

No. She can't stand to hear him say those words. She can't stand how kind and understanding he's being. Can't stand the warm look on his face. So she throws out the final barb with as much venom as she can muster.

"I've already had a mate." She blurts out. She's not ashamed of her past, exactly. But she knows how important something like this is to ravens. She's not proud of how often this thought has plagued her. How she's thought that Diaval, realising this part of her past, would no longer find her attractive. "Stefan and I we...were together. So we can't be together. Raven's mate for life, right? So you'll want nothing to do with me." The incredulous look on Diaval's face makes her feel ill. She turns her back to him and spreads her wings, preparing to fly from her problems again.

"Do you really think I care about that? Really?" She turns in shock to see Diaval looking at her, anger in his eyes. "You bloody stupid faerie! You're just looking for excuses now. I don't care if you were with Stefan! You could have had a hundred mates and it wouldn't change how I feel! I love you!"

The confession hangs in the air between them. Stepping forward, Diaval takes his face in her hands.

"I love you." There's such sincerity in his voice that Maleficent shuts her eyes, fighting the instinct to fly.

"It's so...strange." She asks. "A fae and a raven? Together? It's never happened before I'm sure."

"Ravens have never fallen in love with fae before and yet here I am." Diaval smiles and touches his forehead to hers. "Ravens have never been humans or wolves or horses or dragons before either."

"You should be with a devoted young she-raven with no scars. You deserve better than me."

"I deserve better than the strongest most beautiful creature in the whole of the moors? Wow, you really do think a lot of me." Maleficent rolls her eyes.

"Diaval, I mean it, I'm not easy to live with." Her resolve is broken, however. She relaxes into Diaval's arms. Maybe this can actually work.

"I know."

He tilts her head up to meet his, and their lips meet in a tender kiss. It's not rough, or demanding. He's not trying to get anything from her. He's just kissing her like she's the most precious thing in the world.

Maleficent feels a little giddy when they pull away from each other. She hasn't felt this light and happy in years. Diaval is grinning like an idiot.

"You do of course realise that Aurora is going to be insufferably smug when she finds out she was right?" Maleficent murmurs.

"Worth it." Diaval kisses her again.

* * *

_Author's Note: Oy vey. This story. This story just KEPT. ON. GOING. It's really long and probably terrible and full of errors but I just don't care any more. Here it is._

_I suck at writing cute stuff._

_Also, in my headcanon Maleficent is a vegetarian and was involved with Stefan beyond kissing. Just realised I didn't make that obvious.  
_


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